Best of The Gazette, Nov. 26: New city manager, a postmaster's mission and holiday cheer

Whitewater Postmaster Sherrie Benes places a Purple Heart on the memorial headstone of Staff Sgt. Leo Olson in Trempealeau County. Soon after discovering the award in a desk drawer at the post office, Benes made it her mission to deliver it back to Olson's family.

The Gazette publishes a lot of news in a week. Combine that with all the distractions a weekend brings, and that means there's a good chance you might have missed some important stories. Here's a look at of some of The Gazette's best content from the last week or so:

A new training program aims to improve Rock County law enforcement officers' ability to spot symptoms of mental illnesses and work more effectively with people who have a mental illness. Look no further than Janesville police officer Laurie Valley, who recently used her training to help deal with a boy who was acting suspiciously.

A year ago, Sherrie Benes became Whitewater's new postmaster. Two days later, she discovered a Purple Heart inscribed with "SSgt. Leo L. Olson" in her desk drawer. As the mother of a son in the service, she knew exactly what she had to do: Return it to Olson's family.

There's a definite buzz surrounding Janesville Craig's boys basketball team this season. Coach Mike Miller has a roster filled with talent and versatility, a combination that has been lacking in recent years for what was once one of the area's most successful programs. “I think we're finally going to get back to playing good old-fashioned Craig basketball,” Miller said.

Media editorial boards across Wisconsin have launched a campaign urging citizens to contact GOP legislative leaders. Records obtained by the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism show that many people are doing so. But that doesn't mean lawmakers will listen, writes Bill Lueders of the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism.

While making way for a new furnace in his home last week, Gazette Editor Scott Angus rediscovered boxes of his father's old newspapers. Historic headlines covered their pages. The incident served as a reminder for Angus that the world will be quite a different place if printed media disappear.

Go ahead, have your chocolate. Wash it down with hot apple cider. Then work it off by shopping local merchants, chasing the Grinch or perfecting your triple lutz at the Janesville Ice Arena. There are plenty of local holiday events this year, and The Gazette has some suggestions on which ones you shouldn't miss.

The rise of the brewpub continues unabated in Madison with the recent appearance of Next Door Brewing on the city's east side. The pub, at 2439 Atwood Ave., opened in late August and is more than a new microbrewery. It's a full-fledged restaurant.

Gardeners often discuss plants using scientific names instead of the common ones. There's a good reason for that, community blogger Janice Peterson writes. With scientific nomenclature, there is only one name for any plant.

Joseph Paul Franklin, 63, was put to death by lethal injection last week in Missouri. The white-supremacist serial killer is perhaps best known for shooting and paralyzing Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt. He was convicted of eight murders but claimed up to 20—and he started his spree in Wisconsin.

Even Mark Freitag sounds a bit surprised he got the top job in Janesville. The 47-year-old retired Army colonel who hasn't worked off a military base in his adult life just moved into his Briar Crest home and is readying for his Dec. 2 start as city manager. In advance of his first official day on the job, Gazette reporter Marcia Nelesen sat down to ask him about his military experience, his plans for the city and his first impressions of Janesville.

The Janesville Parker Vikings and the Delavan-Darien Comets faced off at Parker High School in Janesville last week. It was a close game, but a three-point shot within the final seconds of the game pushed the Vikings over the Comets, 63-60. The Gazette was there to capture the action.